Safety helmet

ABSTRACT

A protective helmet of the type comprising a shell provided with a chin guard and with an opening for a visor, one or more shock absorbing layers, internally coupled to said shell and to said chin guard, and to one or more paddings within said one o more shock absorbing layers, as well as at least one support mask for one shock absorbing layer of the chin guard, said at least one support mask comprising holding means for said shock absorbing layer of the chin guard, and hooking means to the chin guard and/or the shell, characterized in that said at least one support mask comprises further temporary coupling means of at least said one or more paddings.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This Application claims the benefit of priority from European PatentApplication No. 10425314.1 filed on Sep. 27, 2010, the contents of whichare incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a protective helmet, particularly formotorcyclists, of the type comprising a shell with a chin guard and anopening for a corresponding visor, one or more shock absorbing layersinternally coupled to the shell and to the corresponding chin guard, andone or more paddings placed within said shock absorbing layers, as wellas at least one support mask for the shock absorbing layer of the chinguard, wherein said internal support mask comprises holding means forthe shock absorbing layer of the chin guard and mechanical hooking meansto said chin guard.

PRIOR KNOWN ART

It is known art to constrain the shock absorbing layer of a protectivehelmet, normally made of polystyrene foam (EPS), directly to the innersurface of the helmet shell by forced restraining (shrinking), gluing,or also by mechanical supporting and clamping means, or also by way ofVelcro® strips.

In particular, it is frequent, in the prior known art, to makeprotective helmets which present within the shell various juxtaposedshock absorbing layers, presenting in particular a first hemisphericalshaped layer suited to protect the user's cranial zone against impact,two opposite facing layers arranged for lateral impact protection of theside regions (cheeks) of the user's face, and optionally a shockabsorbing layer for the protection of the user's chin. These differentshock absorbing layers are usually permanently constrained to the outershell of the helmet by forced restraining (i.e. by forced geometricfit).

Within these shock absorbing layers, also to prevent that unduemechanical actions may damage them, padding is normally placed, forexample, covered in fabric, engaging the user's face, which also ensuresneeded comfort of use.

In the case of a shell comprising a portion of the chin protection,commonly referred to as chin guard, the shock absorbing layer suited toprotect the user's chin, not only is usually separated from one or othershock absorbing layers, but is also without external padding, whichcould disturb the user's breathing and hinder the grip and hand holdingof the helmet.

Regarding the chin guard, it is known art to cover said shock absorbinglayer, particularly its portion facing the user's chin with a surfacecover, for example consisting of synthetic leather (i.e. a fabriclayered with polyurethane PU or a polyamide PA) or consisting ofpolyurethane (PU) foam, which is able to prevent or reduce the chance ofaccidental damage of said shock absorbing layer as well as being a layerpleasant to the user's touch.

This surface cover for the shock absorbing layer of the chin guard, inthe common case where the latter is produced in EPS, is usually made byoverprinting (e.g. low pressure injection) of said shock absorbing layerwith an appropriate coating material, such as polyurethane foam, whichdefines a layer of limited thickness, for example equal to a minimum of2 mm, defining the final shape of the piece to allow coupling with therest of the components of the helmet, also guaranteeing appropriatestylistic requirements.

This art has however certain drawbacks.

As first, the surface cover layer, for both intrinsic technologicallimits of the process of overprinting along with the production processof the shock absorbing layer in EPS of the chin guard, leads to a finalunit weight which may be excessive.

Secondly, the productivity of this technique is rather low, given thelong time needed to perform overprinting and the further processing ofburr removal. Finally, the high costs needed to achieve such a surfacecover by way of overprinting material suitable for absorbing impact,usually consisting of EPS, should also be mentioned.

To overcome these disadvantages, it is a known art to use, mainly inhelmets with a raising chin guard, a support mask and surface cover ofthe shock absorbing layer of the chin guard which, sandwiched betweenthe user's face and said shock absorbing layer, is mechanicallyconstrained to said chin guard, so that the shock absorbing layerremains positioned between said support mask and the inner wall of thechin guard.

This support mask, which can be opportunely shaped and fitted with ductsallowing the guided passage of an air flow from the outside to theinside of the helmet, is usually a plate-like member made out of aninjection molded plastic material (such as polyethylene (PE) orpolypropylene (PP), or also thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)), includingboth the hooking means to the chin guard, formed for example by screws,bolts or elastic-type couplings, and also by holding means of the shockabsorbing layer of the chin guard, made for example by portions andshaped strikers or elastic tabs or other elements designed to executemechanical constraining of said shock absorbing layer.

The use of this support mask of the shock absorbing layer makes nolonger necessary the overprinting operation of the said absorbing layer,usually in EPS, with a thin layer of a coating material, such as PUfoam.

However, the encumbrance of a support mask of the kind described aboverequires careful designing of internal parts of the helmet shell, whichmust be shaped and constrained together in a way allowing installationand correct housing of said support mask.

Particularly, the layout and the conformation of the fixing means of thepadding to the shock absorbing layer placed near the chin guard, andtherefore of said support mask, must be carefully studied.

Additionally, it should be mentioned that, in protective helmets ofrecent production, the padding that is sandwiched between the head anduser's face and the shock absorbing layer (EPS) is usually constrainedto this last layer by temporary coupling means, to allow the user,whenever necessary, to easily detach and eventually reattach any paddingfrom the shock absorbing layer, in order to perform cleaning orreplacement of said padding.

More specifically, these temporary, or reversible, coupling means of thepadding usually comprise fixing plates, glued to the shock absorbinglayer, which bear strikers for complementary buttons or hooks built intothe corresponding portions of the padding.

As will be clear to a person skilled in the art, the use of fixingplates glued to the shock absorbing layer, usually polystyrene foam, andcorresponding snapping buttons (clips) or other types of couplingsattached to the padding, as temporary coupling means still requiresprocessing, packaging or assembly of various components either on theshock absorbing layers, or on the comfort padding, that normally proveto be very expensive, and require a degree of practicable precision toallow simple assembly, guaranteed over time.

It is an aim of the present invention to realize a protective helmet ofthe type described above which at least partially will solve theproblems of the prior art expressed above.

It is therefore the aim of the present invention to provide a protectivehelmet with a support mask for the shock absorbing layer of the chinguard to allow the temporary coupling (reversible) of at least part ofthe inside padding of the helmet, placed closely to the chin guard,provided in an effective and simple way.

A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a protectivehelmet equipped with a chin guard by way of an economical and quickproduction process, providing a wide choice of finishes and shapeswithin the chin guard, while requiring a smaller amount of components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other aims are achieved by the protective helmet according tothe first independent claim and the additional dependent claims.

The protective helmet according to the present invention comprises ashell with a chin guard and an opening for a visor, one or more shockabsorbing layers, internally coupled to said shell and said chin guard,and one or more paddings inside said shock absorbing layers, as well asand at least an internal support mask for a shock absorbing layer of thechin guard. This support mask also comprises respective holding means ofthe shock absorbing layer of the chin guard, and hooking means to thechin guard.

Advantageously, the support mask also comprises temporary coupling meansof at least one of the aforesaid paddings.

The integration, in the support mask of the shock absorbing layer of thechin guard, of temporary coupling means of the padding, especially thoseset for engaging the user's cheeks, simplifies the design of theconstraints to the helmet of said padding arranged in proximity of thechin guard, providing temporary coupling means that are highly effectiveand stable during use—since it is not required any gluing operation tothe shell to achieve these coupling means—and reduces the number ofcomponents and assembly operations of the product.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the aforesaidtemporary coupling means of the padding may be of an elastic coupling ofcomplementary parts type, or of the type comprising a geometric fitcoupling between parts belonging to the aforesaid support mask.

For example, said temporary coupling means can be constituted of atleast one hook and one relative striker respectively integral to apadding and to said support mask.

It should be noted that not necessarily said temporary coupling means ofat least one padding to the support mask of the shock absorbing layer ofthe chin guard achieve a stable mechanical fixing between thesecomponents (i.e., a constraint not easily releasable by the user), aseven the loosely coupled joint (i.e. a constraint easily releasable bythe user) between these latter, even joined by a traditional fixing (forexample by Velcro® strips to the padding and to the corresponding shockabsorbing layer), provides a solution which results in an easier andless expensive assembly of the padding in question within the shell, anda significant reduction in the number of components necessary to providesuch fixing.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the support maskmay moreover include ducts for the passage of air flow and/orconstraining means for additional external accessories of the helmet,such as for example a lower windscreen or a diffuser for an upperairflow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Now herein will be described, by way of example only and withoutlimitation, a preferred embodiment of the present invention referring tothe attached figures, in which:

FIG. 1A is a schematic side view in section of a protective helmetaccording to a particular aspect of the present invention, comprising asupport mask for a shock absorbing layer of the chin guard;

FIG. 1B is a semi sectional view of the helmet in FIG. 1A from whichlateral comfort paddings of the cranial area of the head are removed;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the support mask for a shock absorbing layerof the chin guard of the helmet of FIG. 1, according to a particularaspect of the present invention, provided with said shock absorbinglayer;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the mask of FIG. 1, without the shockabsorbing layer of the chin guard;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the mask of FIGS. 1 and 2, assembled to thechin guard;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged rear view of a detail of the mask of the previousfigures;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view, according to a horizontal plane, of the areaof the support mask for a shock absorbing layer of the chin guard of thehelmet of FIG. 1, according to a particular aspect of the presentinvention, provided with said shock absorbing layer;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the area of the chin guard support for ashock absorbing layer of the chin guard of the helmet of FIG. 1 along aplane parallel to the center line in which the air flow can be observedpassing through the external intake through inner ducts to the chinguard and flowing into the helmet after ventilating the inner surface ofthe visor;

FIG. 8 is a side view in cross-section of the protective helmet of theprevious figures, pointing out the temporary coupling means of a sidepadding destined to line a user's cheek (cheek pad) to the support maskof a shock absorbing layer of the chin guard, according to a particularaspect of the present invention, in which said side padding is not yetcoupled to the relative support mask; and

FIG. 9 is a side view of the padding for the user's cheek in FIG. 8,pointing out the temporary coupling means to the aforesaid support mask.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference at first to FIG. 1, the helmet 100 of the presentinvention comprises, as known in the art, an outer shell 101, forexample, injection molded in a polycarbonate (PC), shaped so as todefine an opening 103 for a visor, and provided with a protectionportion of the chin, commonly called a chin guard, 102, which is locatedbelow the opening 103 and can be obtained as a whole piece, or removableor irremovably fixed to the remaining part of the shell 101.

The helmet 100 moreover includes one or more layers 10, 104, 107 of amaterial suited to absorb possible impacts (shocks), such as polystyrenefoam (EPS), fixed inside the shell 101, 102, for example through forcedrestraining (shrinking) between parts or trough gluing, and one or morepaddings 105, 106, also joined inside the shell 101, and arranged to besandwiched between the user's head and one or more shock absorbinglayers 104, 107. In particular, the helmet 100 provides that, formanufacturing reasons, there is at least a first homogeneous shockabsorbing layer 104, placed below said portion of the shell 101 destinedto protect the user's skull, at least two side layers 107, facing thearea of the user's cheeks and at least one additional shock absorbinglayer 10, differing from the first layer 104 and from the two sidelayers 107, and placed correspondingly to the portion of the chin guard102.

The shock absorbing layer 10 of the chin guard, which can then be gluedto the inner surface of the chin guard 102, is supported within saidchin guard 102, according to the present invention, by a proper supportmask 1, shaped so as to retain the shock absorbing layer 10 and to beeasily constrained to the same chin guard 102, or to the remaining partof the shell 101.

More in detail, according to a preferred aspect of the presentinvention, said support mask 1 of the shock absorbing layer comprises,with particular reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, a frontal surface 5, shapedso as to provide accommodating and supporting regions to the relativeshock absorbing layer 10, an upper frame 4 and a lower region 3,operating as guides to said layer 10, as well as tabs 2 a, 2 b,conformed to mechanically retain said layer 10, by contrasting(overlapping) of parts, following a relative elastic deformation.

The tabs 2 a, 2 b, the frame 4 and the lower region 3, in addition tothe particular shape of the surface 5, form the appropriate retainingmeans of the shock absorbing layer 10 of the chin guard 102.

Also referring to FIG. 7, it is noted that the frame 4 of the mask 1 mayalso have, obtained as a whole piece, ducts for the passage of a directair flow from outside the helmet, through appropriate air inlets,towards the inside of the helmet.

At the same time, the lower region 3 of the mask 1 can have, obtained asa whole piece, or defined by the coupling effect with the lower edge 109of the shell, seats capable of receiving the hooking of otheraccessories to be optionally installed in the lower zone of the helmetsuch as a wind screen tab, a deflector of aerodynamic flow, orappendices aimed to reduce the noise generated by vortices whichgenerate in this area during normal use of the helmet, especially whenused with motorcycles or other locomotive means without full coveredchassis. Referring particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, the mask 1 alsoincludes some lateral protuberances 9 a, 9 b which constitute hooking,or constraining, means, of the said mask 1 to appropriate complementaryregions 91 a, 91 b, placed within the chin guard 102, formed to hold, bygeometric fit coupling, the aforementioned protuberances 9 a, 9 b. Thesehooking means 9 a, 9 b, 91 a, 91 b of the mask 1 to the inner surface ofthe chin guard 102 may be alternatively, according to the known art, ofthe restraining type, or of the juxtaposition/contrasting type or of theelastic coupling of complementary parts type, or even of the type withscrewing of screw-threaded parts.

Note however that, in alternative embodiments not shown here, thosehooking means can also be formed by one or more layers of glue bindingthe mask 1 to the chin guard 102, or to the remaining part of the shell101, directly or by the sandwiching of the shock absorbing layer 10.

It should also be noticed that, as already mentioned, to the mask 1further external accessories may be attached, for example one or morediffusers for airflow directed within the helmet, held to the mask 1 byappropriate mechanical holding means, similar to those specified for thehooking means 9 a, 9 b to the chin guard 102.

More in detail, as shown in FIG. 7, the hollow space between the seal ofthe lower edge 109 of the chin guard portion 102 of the shell and thelower edge 3 of the mask 1 may act as a seat in which to insert, forexample, a shaped tab to which can conveniently be fixed an aerodynamicappendage or a wind screen flap or any other accessories that can behoused in the lower region of the helmet.

As is particularly visible in FIGS. 4 and 5, 8 and 9, further, the mask1 comprises, corresponding to its inner wall 7, i.e. the wall destinedto face the user's chin, means 6 a, 8 a, 61 a, 6 b, 8 b, 61 b destinedto temporary or reversible fixing of at least one of the aforesaidpaddings 105, 106.

These means of temporary coupling, in the embodiment shown here, arecomposed of a through-slot 61A, 61 b at the center of which is a flange6 a, 6 b which protrudes towards the inside of the helmet, a pin, or astriker, 8 a, 8 b intended to engage with a complementary hook, or fork,108 a (see FIGS. 8 and 9) presented by at least one correspondingpaddings 106.

As seen in detail in FIGS. 8 and 9, which respectively show the couplingof a side padding 106 (cheek pad) with the corresponding end of thesupport mask 1 and the same side padding 106, said fork 108 a mayconsist of a plastic tab fixed at the front portion of the padding 106,which is likely to be inserted within the through-slot 61 a, to beengaged, achieving a stable mechanical fastening or in a way to achievea loose coupling, with the corresponding pin 8 a.

It is in fact seen that the engagement of each fork 108 a with itscorresponding pin 8 a (or 8 b) may for example be of an elastic type, soas to directly facilitate the mechanical fixing between padding 106 andsupport mask 1, or it can be of a loose type, such as a hook for examplein which the fork 108 a is extractable in a given direction.

In this latter case, as already mentioned, for obtaining the fixing ofthe padding 106 to the shell 101 of the helmet, it will be necessary toplace traditional fastening means of the padding 106 to thecorresponding shock absorbing layer 107, as clips or Velcro® strips.

It should be noted, however, that the coupling between the padding 106and mask 1, even if loose, allow an easy assembly of said padding, aswell as a significant reduction in the number of components necessary tosecure the padding 106 itself.

Alternatively, in embodiments of the present invention not shown here,the temporary or reversible coupling means, for at least one padding 106may be of the elastic coupling of complementary parts type, such as snapbuttons, clips, etc., or be of the counterpart hooking type, such asbuttons and buttonholes, or even of the type comprising male and femaleVelcro® strips placed respectively on mask 1 and on correspondingportions of the padding 106.

Again, these coupling means can consist of guides and engaging slideswithin said guides, or other known types of loose coupling, i.e. with atleast a certain degree of freedom, not discussed here.

According to a particular aspect of the present invention, the helmet100 shown herein may include a plurality of paddings 105, 106 flankingeach other, in such a way that at least a padding 106, or a pair of saidpaddings, is arranged so as to cover at least part of the sides of theopening 103 for the visor, substantially engaging the user's cheeks whenthe helmet 100 is worn, until reaching the chin guard 102, or moreprecisely its corresponding support mask 1 for the shock absorbing layer10.

In this case, the temporary coupling means 6 a, 8 a, 61 a, 6 b, 8 b, 61b of mask 1 to support the shock absorbing layer 10 of the chin guard102 are designed to hold said side padding 106 suitable to engage theuser's cheeks.

Finally, as already known in the art, the mask 1 may be made ofpolyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP), or even polyurethane (TPU)) byway of injection molding.

After inserting the inner shock absorbing layer 104 of the user'scranial area within the outer shell 101, the assembly of the supportmask 1 for a shock absorbing layer 10 of the chin guard 102, accordingto the particular embodiment of the present invention shown here, firstprovides that the shock absorbing layer 10 is supported and held ontothe mask by holding means 3, 4, and in particular thanks to the tabs 2a, 2 b intended to retain by contrasting parts the layer 10, andtherefore mask 1, with the layer 10, is hooked to the chin guard 102, byway of the protuberances 9 a, 9 b coupling with the aforesaidcomplementary internal regions 91 a, 91 b of said chin guard 102;

Finally, the assembly of the helmet provides that the shock absorbinglayers 107 intended to protect the user's cheeks are inserted betweenmask 1 and the shock absorbing layer 104, by way of force fit coupling(forced restraining) achieved between the rear support surfaces, againstthe inner shell 101, and frontal surfaces, against the mask 1, as wellas the inner shape of the shell 100, resulting in the final locking ofthe shock absorbing layers within the helmet.

At this point the constraining of the padding 105 of the cranial area ofthe shell 101 to the corresponding shock absorbing layers 104, 107 canbe made, and then successively the positioning and hooking of the sidepadding 106 to the same mask 1 can be made, thanks to the temporarycoupling means 6 a, 8 a, 61 a, 6 b, 8 b, 61 b, 108 a, thus obtaining thecomplete assembly of the inner parts of the helmet.

As previously underlined, in the case of loose temporary coupling means,i.e. not defining a complete mechanical fastening of the side padding106 to mask 101, such a solution facilitates in any case theinstallation of said padding 106 and reduces the number of traditionalfixing elements, such as elastic clips or Velcro® strips between theshock absorbing layer 107 and the inner walls of the padding 106.

However if the hooking of the padding 106 directly to the mask 1 alsoaccomplishes the mechanical fixing of said padding 106 to the mask 1,i.e. by way of elastic coupling, this solution eliminates the necessityto create more hooking means for said padding directly on the innerwalls of the shell, making the building of the helmet cheaper, andsimplifying construction and assembly.

1. A protective helmet of the type comprising a shell provided with achin guard and an opening for a visor, one or more shock absorbinglayers, internally coupled to said shell and to said chin guard, and oneor more paddings placed inside said one or more shock absorbing layers,and at least one support mask for a shock absorbing layer of the chinguard, said at least one support mask including retaining means of saidshock absorbing layer of the chin guard, and hooking means to the chinguard and/or to the shell, characterized in that said at least onesupport mask also includes temporary coupling means for at least one ofsaid one or more paddings.
 2. The protective helmet according to claim1, wherein said temporary coupling means are of a loose type.
 3. Theprotective helmet according to claim 1, wherein said temporary couplingmeans achieve mechanical fastening of said one or more paddings to saidat least one support mask.
 4. The protective helmet according to claim3, wherein said temporary coupling means are of the elastic coupling ofcomplementary parts type, or of the counterpart hooking type, or of thetype comprising male and female strips of Velcro®.
 5. The protectivehelmet according to claim 1, wherein said temporary coupling meanscomprise one or more engaging strikers to complementary hooking meansintegral with said one or more paddings.
 6. The protective helmetaccording to claim 1, wherein said one or more paddings temporarilyfixed to said at least one support mask are paddings placed to the sideof said opening engaging the user's cheeks.
 7. The protective helmetaccording to claim 1, wherein said hooking means to the chin guard ofsaid at least one support mask are of the restraining type or of thejuxtaposition type or of the type comprising elastic coupling ofcomplementary parts, made as a one piece and/or made integral within theshell and/or the chin guard.
 8. The protective helmet according to claim1, wherein said retaining means for retaining said shock absorbing layerof the chin guard comprise one or more shaped support regions for saidshock absorbing layer of the chin guard, and also one or more retainingelements, by contrasting parts, of said shock absorbing layer of thechin guard.
 9. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein saidat least one support mask includes ducts for the passage of an air flow.10. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein said at leastone support mask includes holding means for additional externalaccessories of said helmet.
 11. The protective helmet according to claim1, wherein said at least one support mask is made of injection moldedplastic material (PE or PP or TPU).
 12. The protective helmet accordingto claim 1, wherein said chin guard is made as a whole with the shell.